Abdellah El Asely

An Unforgettable Family Adventure in Morocco with Original Travels

We spent 12 unforgettable days exploring Morocco as a family of four (two adults and two kids), and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience, thanks to Original Travels. From start to finish, our driver Samir Gemmaoui was with us throughout the journey—and he truly made the trip special.

To be honest, we initially hesitated about hiring a travel company. We had considered renting a car and driving ourselves, but looking back, we’re so glad we decided to go with Original Travels. Having Samir with us was absolutely invaluable. His knowledge of the country, the roads, and the local language made everything easier, smoother, and far more enriching. We were able to relax and enjoy the experience without worrying about logistics.

Samir guided us through several amazing cities, including a magical trip to the Sahara Desert. Riding camels through the dunes was a highlight, especially for the kids. One of the most memorable moments was being invited to dine with a local family—hands down the best meal of the trip, and such a warm, authentic experience.

Our favorite city overall was Fez. We loved exploring the markets and getting immersed in the local culture. Yes, there was a fair amount of driving involved because we wanted to see so much of the country, but Samir made it feel easy. He was flexible, attentive, and always made sure we were comfortable, adjusting the schedule as needed.

We highly recommend Original Travels to anyone planning a trip to Morocco. Their service and hospitality turned our vacation into a truly amazing experience that we’ll never forget.

Our journey through Morocco was an unforgettable celebration of friendship and life. Traveling with three close friends, we were swept away by the beauty of each city—from the vibrant streets of Casablanca to the serene blue of Chefchaouen, the ancient wonders of Fez, and the sensory delights of Marrakech. What truly elevated our experience was the impeccable service throughout. Our driver, Karim, was not only knowledgeable and kind but also made us feel safe and cared for every step of the way. Every detail—from the charming riads and thoughtfully curated tours to the delicious meals—was perfectly arranged, making this trip seamless, joyful, and deeply memorable.

Hotel Review

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Best Ryad during our whole trip. The place is a dream come true!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Fez Medina: Journey Through the World's Living Medieval City

Fes

This tour was amazing. Sherif our guide was kind and knowledgeable! Every detail of the tour was well planned and pleasant. He was very flexible with changes we suggested and waited for us patiently!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Hanan was the most kind and lovely person. We truly enjoyed the time with her. She was punctual, knowledgeable, flexible, and patient. We are so grateful to have been with her in Marrakech!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakech Evening Food Tour: A Feast for All the Senses

Marrakesh

The food choices were amazing. I had been to Marrakech before, but my experience was not as positive. Our guide was kind and knowledgeable. We were able to ask many questions about the food, the city and country, and also the culture. We learned a lot from Mohammed. Fully recommend him!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver Karim was awesome. Had a free eat experience and if I go back to Morocco would definetely live to have him.
The same can be said for all out tour guides, shariff in Fes, Mohammed our food tour guide in Marrakech but about all Hanan, our tour guide in Marrakech. She was very knowledgeable, smart and super informative. Overall a good experience.
My favorite hotel the Lina Riad in the blue city

The whole adventure in Morocco was absolutely amazing.
Early planning is the key to success. Said worked with us so that we had the ultimate experience throughout our journey.
Our driver, Mustapha, went above and beyond to make sure we had the best experiences.
All our guides were exceptional except for one.
The hotels and riads were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Tanger City Center Hotel and Residences

Tangier

not exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Small ,intimate Ryad. Very different experience Unfortunately very noisy at night. Food not exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Amani

Fès

Lovely hotel and beautiful gardens. We had a wonderful room on top floor with outstanding view. The walk from the car to hotel a little disconcerting - a very narrow alley and not very clean. Then the entrance to hotel transforms into a paradise. Quite an amazing experience. Staff extremely helpful and friendly. Gardens beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ksar El Kabbaba

Skoura

This was paradise. Peaceful , tranquil . The gardens were absolutely amazing . Intimate outdoor eating areas: Large but intimate dining room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Maison Arabe Hotel

Marrakech

Beautiful hotel - full of history - intimate seating areas, The decor so authentic you would believe you were in a different century and living in an ex patriots dream.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Luxury Camp Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

Not quite as we expected but we were in the desert. Accommodation basic. Heating (for the nights) and a/c( during the day) was not very efficient. Food not good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Helpful and efficient. Also always cheerful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel La Tour Hassan Palace

Rabat

Fabulous. Highly recommend. Beautiful setting. Accommodation superb. The dining experience not quite up to expectation. Service extremely slow and food not as ordered.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Casablanca Hotel

Casablanca

Marvelous location. Beautiful setting. Very large but furnishings and decor superb. Easy to get lost in the cavernous halls and public areas. Food not exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tangier Guided tour

Tangier

Marvelous guide with great sense of humor

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes Guided Tour: Unravel the Riches of Morocco's Ancient City

Fes

Wonderful experience with great guide. Much more compact Medina therefore easier to negotiate.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Chefchaoeun

Chefchaouen

Rain rather dampened the experience. A definite stopping place to experience the real Morocco.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Long drive - but full of experiences . Guide at Volubilis not very good. But the site was amazing. Not enough time for Moulay Idriss and only a drive thorough Meknes. Wish we had more time there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

Long drive but interesting and scenic. Erfoud very dramatic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Skoura to Marrakech

Morocco

Interesting stops along the road.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Desert adventures around Merzouga

Merzouga

Best lunch we had was in Merzouga. Interesting driving around the Bedouin camps.Such resilience aginst all the elements. Music cafe was very enjoyable. That was an excellent experience. Camel ride OK

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike through Berber Villages

Morocco

WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. Lunch with a Berber family a heart warming experience. The market gardens were wonderfully kept by the farmers who owned each of the allotments. Great guide who explained how the gardens were allotted and cared for. by each farmer.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Overwhelming. People, smells and noise. Felt perfectly safe and free to roam anywhere. Cafes interesting but food not exciting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Majorelle Garden

Marrakesh

A must do. Book well ahead. Beautiful gardens and lovely cafe for lunch or tea. Museum a little disappointing. Not many fashion displays.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Did not enjoy the experience. Food was awful and guide not interested in sharing knowledge. Do not recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Guided Exploration of Rabat

Rabat

Rabat a beautiful city. Modern intermingled with lots of historic and traditional buildings. Chellah Necropolis magical. Wonderful atmosphere. White storks a spectacle in themselves. Beautiful waterfront. Royal Palace and Mausoleums gorgeous. Late afternoon perfect time to go. No crowds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-guide

Morocco

Not a very interesting city. Do not recommend more than one night. Very very crowded and traffic jams everywhere. Also very polluted. El Hassan Mosque magnificent but very overpowering. Not much else to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My family (Children 6, 9, 11), wife and two in-laws (70 and 72) had the most wonderful time in Morocco. Samir, our driver, was the absolute best! We always felt safe, comfortable, and cared for. The communication was excellent, things were coordinated well. Any issues were immediately addressed by Samir and Said (Our local planner). There is so much to say so I will try to distill it down:

1. Morocco is a beautiful country. SAFE, INCLUSIVE, AND WELCOMING to everyone, even Americans!
2. Kids are absolutely welcome everywhere. The people were not only accommodating for my children, but my kids were engaged and welcomed by everyone.
3. The diversity of climates, geography and cities was like nothing I have experienced before.
4. Samir, our driver, was a true professional and made every member of my family feel safe and valued.
5. Every tour guide chosen by Said, Abdul and other Kim Kim affiliates were professionals.
6. Having traveled the world, I will say that the Kim Kim booking experience was the EASIEST thing I have ever done. Worth every penny.

I cannot speak more highly of my experience and we are currently the envy of all our colleagues. If you are going to Morocco, I recommend this company 100%.

Hotel Reviews

Le Casablanca Hotel

Casablanca

Staff was inattentive and hotel constantly smelled of smoke inside.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

More courtesy and attention to customer service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Constant tobacco smoke permeates inside

Es Saadi Marrakech Resort - Hotel

Marrakech

Best hotel of our stay. Wonderful staff. Attention to details.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah du Toubkal

lmlil

Great location. Wonderful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yes We Camp Agafay

Marrakesh

Poor customer service. Needs maintenance in some areas.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not the most beautiful place. Just another camp among camps

Staff

Inattentive and bordering on rude

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lots of mosquitos and my door kept getting stuck shut

Hotel Le Medina Essaouira Thalassa Sea & Spa MGallery

Essaouira

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-guide

Morocco

Samir is the best. Wonderful driver

Our trip to Morocco was nothing short of magical, and a huge part of that was thanks to our incredible guide and driver, Rabi. From the moment we met him, we felt completely safe, at ease, and well taken care of. Traveling through a new country can sometimes feel overwhelming, but with Rabi behind the wheel, it felt effortless.

He was warm, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable—not just about the destinations, but about the culture and history of each place we visited. What really stood out, though, was how flexible and accommodating he was. We made a few changes to our itinerary along the way, and he adjusted everything smoothly without hesitation. He truly wanted us to have the best experience possible.

Having Rabi as our driver made our trip 100 times better. We can’t imagine exploring Morocco without him and feel so lucky to have had him as part of our journey. If you’re planning a trip to Morocco, ask for Rabi—you won’t regret it!

Also, a quick shoutout to KimKim for making the planning process so easy and stress-free. The team was responsive, thoughtful, and tailored the trip exactly to our interests. From start to finish, everything was seamless.

We had an amazing trip to Morocco, in no small part due to the service and dedication of the Original Travels team.

We had a thoroughly positive experience with original travels throughout. Our initial trip planning was through Abdel, who was highly responsive, very pleasant to deal with, and rapidly adapted the trip to align best with our preferences, including taking account of our young children (for instance by managing the driving distances for each leg). The same can be said of the point of contact for the trip, Said. Said was also very responsive, provided helpful answers to various ad hoc questions, and also facilitated a pottery workshop midway through the trip, which turned out to be a highlight. Said also ensured two hotel upgrades throughout the trip, which was appreciated.

Turning to our driver/guide, Samir was wonderful throughout the trip. Not only was Samir a fun companion on the long drives, he ensured our every need was met at every stage of the vacation. Of particular note were the small acts of kindness throughout the trip, such as providing snacks and water for our children, securing cough meds, and even helping resolve our kids arguments! We cannot speak highly enough of his services, and would hope to meet again in the future.

In terms of specific points on accommodations and activities, overall Original Travels arranged for very comfortable accommodations and a range of fascinating activities. The accommodations we enjoyed the most was Kasbah Azul in Agdz (fantastic staff, food and ambience), as well as Riad Pachavana in Marrakech (lovely peaceful Riad, with delicious breakfast). We would also highlight Dar Rihana in Boulmane Dades as being lovely and glad we stayed there.

For improvement in the future, we felt that the desert camp (Orient Desert Camp) had a ‘transactional’ feel as compared with other hotels we stayed at. Whilst a lovely location and comfortable camp, it had a less personable atmosphere from the staff. We also much
preferred the atmosphere of the Riad in Marrakech rather than the hotel we stayed in Marrakech’s New Town (which did not give any particular flavor of Morocco and could have been anywhere), so would recommend use of the Riads where possible.

Of the activities we participated in, particular highlights were the pottery workshop mentioned above - the owner was so welcoming and hospitable and we had a fantastic time. Also the desert camel ride was amazing, though it would have been better had we arrived slightly earlier so as not to be rushed onto the camels to make the sunset. We also thoroughly enjoyed our Marrakech food tour, and would recommend that to fellow travellers.

Generally the guides used by Original Travels were very good, though we would note the following slight caveats:
- Our guide in Ait Benhaddou put the least effort in, and generally just took us to a range of stores to buy things from his friends. Was more preoccupied with catching up with his friends rather than actually guiding the tour.
- The tour of marrakech guide did not adapt his general spiel to better fit our young kids
- The guide in Merzouga didn’t speak much English, which made communication difficult.
- We would’ve appreciated if guides took more initiative with taking photos in the moment instead of us finding a spot and doing a posed photo.

That said, all of our guides (indeed all of the people we met in Morocco!) were welcoming and friendly, and did provide special experiences.

Overall, we are extremely glad we chose Original Travels and Morocco for our vacation, and would strongly recommend for other travellers!

Our Morocco vacation was amazing and memorable! Our driver/guide Faissel was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ He made our vacation run smoothly and was thoughtful, easy to be with and made sure my husband, son and I had everything we needed! We would never have been able to have the vacation we did without Faissel!!
The whole Kimkim experience was excellent and I look forward to using them to plan another vacation.
The private tours, accommodations and recommendations were all on point. We really had a wonderful time!

The overall experience of Morocco was exceptional and far beyond our expectations. The scenic beauty, the hospitality and Moroccan food was something we enjoyed to the utmost.
Our local driver cum guide Suffiane was an amazing person, who was always extremely helpful and guided us in best possible manner.
The other driver Osama, who remained with us for last couple of days of our tour, was also very supportive and helpful.
We look forward to coming back to Morocco with our kids.
The Kimkim team lead by Abdellah extended every possible help in arranging our trip and ultimately we had the most amazing tour of our lives.

We liked the agenda and all the places that were arranged to see and do. We loved Morocco, people were great and food was good too. Our guide/driver, Ilyace, was excellent and he had very good command of English language which we greatly appreciated. We strongly recommend his services. All other guides were good too, Hamid at Volubilis and Sharif in Fez were really knowledgeable and informative. Saleh (Marrakech), Ashraf (food tour) and Hassan (Essaouira) were also good. We were sorry we had too many samples before we got the main course and we could not enjoy it as much, but it was very good food tour. We also enjoyed the visit to Yasmin’s family and dinner. As for the tour of Hassan II Mosque, group tour guide was not really that good, they need better tour guides. As for the hotels, I assume they were amongst the best for their locations! Our favorites were Hotel Le Medina (Essaouira) and Lina (Chefchaouen) very high standards, we also liked Palais Sebban. The rest were acceptable but could make some minor improvements to the details. Our favorite city was Chefchaouen. In summary the trip a was very good experience and we appreciate all the help and planning by the team.

Hotel Reviews

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Good hotel for one night stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Mokhtar Tanger

Tangier

Very comfortable and roomy. Nice location and some views. Close to shops and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Great set up with a sitting room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Amazing place, great location, great dinner.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the heart of activities.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Braya

Fes Medina

I would give it 3.5 stars. It was comfortable, the A/C did not work and it was not fixed. Bath tub was deep and tall and challenging to get in and out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not really convenient to local market.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah Hôtel Xaluca Arfoud

Erfoud

Excellent set up, beautiful garden, pool, restaurant and bar, it was an amazing place in the area. Unfortunately the shower did not have any warm water or water pressure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was very clean, could not take a shower due to lack of water.

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

Nice place, the only problem was the A/C remote did not work, needed battery, they eventually found some.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Nice hotel great location, very good restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Le Medina Essaouira Thalassa Sea & Spa MGallery

Essaouira

5+++ stars, beautiful set up, awesome location, beautiful architecture, great restaurant for breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Great architecture.

Location

By the ocean and close to all activities.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide in Fez, Sharif was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and informative.

Transport

Private Transfer from Marrakech to Enchanting Essaouira

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Not applicable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-guide

Morocco

Need better group tour guides at Hassan iI mosque.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver Ilyace was great and his command of English was vey helpful.

Transport

Guided tour of Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Liked the mosque but the tour guide was very poor and uninformative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was great, mosque group tour guide was poor.

Transport

Drive from Tangier to Chefchaouen via Hercules Caves, Tetouan & the Rif Mountains

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The local guide Hamid was very knowledgeable.

Transport

Dine with a local family

Morocco

Yassin and family were very nice, and we enjoyed our visit very much, the food was unbelievable.

Quality of Experience

The family was very friendly and very very nice. Appreciate their time and hospitality.

Food

Excellent food and company.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech via Tizi N'Tichka pass

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The local guide Saleh was very good.

Transport

Guided Tour of Majorelle Garden

Marrakesh

It was ok.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No local guide. Did not need one.

Transport

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

The tour was excellent, even with the rain. Had too many samples before the main course.

Quality of Experience

Food

All the food presented dusting the tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ashraf (aka H) was very good and informative.

Transport

Guided Tour of Essaouira

Essaouira

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hassan did a great job.

Transport

Essaouira to Casablanca via Eljadida & Safi Coastal Route

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport